Best possible combination for World Cup: Srikkanth

Sports

Pti

Posted By: Pti

Published: Tuesday, January 18, 2011, 4:15 [IST]

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Chennai, Jan 17 (PTI) After announcing the 15-membersquad for the forthcoming World Cup, selection committeechairman Krishnamachari Srikkanth today said that theselectors have picked the best possible combination for thequadrennial event, to be held in the sub-continent fromFebruary 19 to April 2.

Srikkanth and his selection team of Yashpal Sharma,Surendra Bhave, Narendra Hirwani and Raja Venkat met here thismorning to select the squad, with a hope that it will endIndia''s 28-year-old drought. The only time they won thetournament was way back in 1983.

Srikkanth said this team will end India''s 28-year-longwait by winning the sport''s biggest event at home.

"This is the best possible winning combination we havepicked up and it will win us the World Cup. We (selectors)engaged in thorough discussion at the meeting here beforefinalising the squad. Taking into account all the conditionslike wickets, the opposition we will be playing, the selectorshave chosen a very well balanced team," said Srikkanth.

Tamil Nadu spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and Piyush Chawlawere named in the squad to be captained by Mahendra SinghDhoni, which also includes star players like Sachin Tendulkar,Virender Sehwag and Zaheer Khan.

But Mumbai''s Rohit Sharma and Kerala pacer S Sreesanthwere omitted from the squad.

The chief selector said the reason behind picking upthree specialist spinners were the turning tracks in India.

"Don''t forget that you are playing in India. The spinnersprobably play a very major role on the turning wickets. I amconfident that the kind of balance we have, the kind ofbatting line-up we have, this cricket team led by M S Dhoniand others will do the job for us.

"This particular Indian team is doing brilliantly for thepast couple of years in both Test and ODI cricket. They areplaying consistently not only in India but outside. We areconfident this team will do well and win the World Cup for usin front of the home crowd," he added.

Srikkanth said there is going to be a lot of pressure onthe players given that the mega-event is taking place in thesub-continent.

"There is a lot of pressure playing in India and thesub-continent. There is going to be tremendous amount ofpressure on players and selectors. This team will repeat the1983 feat again and win us the World Cup.

"The golden moment for us (selectors) will come whenIndia win the World Cup in April. We Indians take pride inwinning anything big related to cricket. Why not World Cup in2011. That belief has to come not only from players but fromthe people of this nation also," the chief selector said.

Asked about injury concerns, Srikkanth said these arepart and parcel of the game.

"Injury is a part of cricket, part of life. They willalways remain. It''s time to move ahead and talk positive," headded.